Big Sur, California, USA

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Big Sur is a region on the central coastline of California, with little habitation. Though there are a few individual towns, they are all tiny and unincorporated.

Big Sur is renowned as one of the most beautiful locations in America, with hot springs, lush redwood forests, rocky coastlines, and coves and beaches.

People Born in Big Sur

coming soon

Big Sur in People's Lives

Henry Miller: I decided to move here from Los Angeles in 1944. During this time, my infamous books, which were banned in the United States, were gaining recognition and being smuggled into the country in greater numbers. I grew more popular and was seen as a major inspiration to the Beat generation. I continued to write and attempt to publish my books, though they were mainly only allowed to be printed in France and Japan. I also took up painting watercolors, and learned to play the piano. I married my third wife, Janina, in 1944. She was a philosophy student, and 23 years old. I was 53. We had two children together, but divorced in 1952. In 1953, I married a fourth wife, Eve. I was 62, and she was 25. We divorced in 1960. In 1961, my book Tropic of Cancer was finally allowed to be published in the United States. It sold over 63,000 copies within the first week - but many cities, including my native New York threatened to sue me, and booksellers found with my book were arrested. This only enhanced my outlaw-like literary name. I moved back to Los Angeles in 1963.

Hunter S. Thompson: I hitchhiked here across the United States, via Route 40, arriving in 1961. While here for eight months, I worked as a security guard, and then as a caretaker at the Esalen Institute hot springs. During this time, I also continued my writing, publishing my first magazine feature in Rogue, about the bohemian culture here. I also finally began writing fiction, and submitted many short stories to publications, though all were rejected. I wrote the books Prince Jellyfish and The Rum Diaries, though both were left unpublished for the time. Always having had a strained relationship with my superiors at Esalen, I was finally fired about I became more of a public figure as a result of my writing. I moved to Brazil in 1962.